Nigeria could record 31,400 additional heat-related deaths over the next six months as El Niño intensifies, according to a report by the Climate Impact Lab.
The report projects 66,800 additional de@ths across Africa’s Sahel region, with nearly half expected in Nigeria.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have warned that an unusually powerful El Niño could worsen extreme heat, droughts and flooding.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said the phenomenon could peak towards the end of 2026, disrupting temperatures and rainfall patterns worldwide.
She urged governments and humanitarian organisations to use forecasts and early-warning systems to protect vulnerable communities.
